West Side Story (12A)

Rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks face a stalemate over New York City’s Upper West Side. But when the Sharks’ leader’s sister, Maria, falls for Jets member Tony, tensions really begin to hot up between the two sides. The classic Broadway musical inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet gets a film remake, with Steven Spielberg directing and a cast that includes Rachel Zegler, Ansel Elgort and Rita Moreno.

In the 1950s, New York City’s Upper West Side is territory sought by two rival gangs: the white Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Day by day, these teenage groups, separated by their ethnicity, plot ways to take control of the area.

When Maria (Rachel Zegler), sister of the Sharks’ gang leader Bernardo (David Alvarez), arrives from Puerto Rico, her eyes soon meet a young man named Tony (Ansel Elgort). The problem is Tony is part of the Jets.

As romance blossoms between the two young people and they dream of a peaceful future together, their relationship only escalates the animosity between the warring Jets and Sharks. Will the two get the happy ending they hope for, or will there be loss on both sides?

Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List, Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Close Encounters, Ready Player One), a legendary director whose awards include Oscars, Golden Globes and Emmys, directs Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner’s (Lincoln) screenplay adaptation of the Broadway musical by Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.

Rachel Zegler makes her acting debut as Maria, with Golden Globe nominee Ansel Elgort (The Goldfinch, Baby Driver) as Tony. They’re joined by Maddie Ziegler (The Book of Henry, Leap!), Corey Stoll (First Man, House of Cards, Ant-Man) and 1961’s West Side Story actress Rita Moreno (Jane the Virgin, Torch, Rio 2) in this tale of two star-crossed lovers caught in a gang war.

Cert: 12A

Running time: 2hrs 36mins